Method and apparatus for building tire casings



New. 3 5. 1,559,972

T. MEDGLEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING TIRE CASING'S m Jan. 25,1920' I 2 Sheets-Shae! 1 is I INVENTQR ATTORNEY? T. MEDGLEY METEQD ANDAPPARATUS FOR BUILDING TIRE CASINGS Film Jan. 28, 1920 2 Sheets-Shea;

v w N v ENVENTOR ATTQQ N Petenteni Nov 3%, E5925,

mitten, enres Mme? melee; J

THOE'ZAS IHIDGLEY, O HAIJLZDEN IJXAE-JSACHTJSETTfi ASSIGNQR TO THE L'ISKRU BBEIR fiGIiIEAN 5 OF CHICOEEE FALIS. I' 'IRSElzkCT-IUSBTTS, ACORPORATION OF Z VIAS SA IVIETHGD AND APPARATUS FOR BUILDING TIRECASXNGS.

Application filed January 28, 1920. Serial No.

To rzZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that; I, THOMAS MiimLin',

. residing at llziinptleu, county of Hnmpden,

n by means oi a rotatable State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Building TireQasings, of which I declare the following to be a full. clear, and exactdescription.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for buildingtire casings.

It has for its object n method and an apparatus which will facilitatethe l'iuiltling 0i tire casings, tlnil which will improve the quality ofthe produrt. The sneeilie manner in which these objects are attnineci,us well (15 the relation of the invention to other and subsidiaryohjeets., will appear from the ensuing: uesoript'iou and the up}')Q1l(l8(l claims.

In the manufacture ()l"i.ll6 (llUPflSbQS it the cui-xtoinuiy practice tomount upon an annular roi'e u huntl oi one or more plies of ruhherizmll'aliruz, \Vllh'l) S then SlZiiAflHd (lOYIl upon the sides ol' the corein :1 spiral path over the lulu-3e. The hand of 'fnhrir is usuallystrt-iteheil longitudinally n oonsiil .ble amount before or (luring itseppliention to the core, amounting to from 10% to 1.8% of the length ofthe lmml. As is well llllk'lOlSiiOOl'l, the l'uhrie is shuiieil to thesides of: the core by lateral strrtrhing nncl l some l ullin orflickering oi the inhrio. The lateral stretch reuse; wise and thus toconform to the gradually (leerezwing: eirrlpumierentinl length oi thesides oi the core. in the usual method. of applying fnluic to :i morethe lateral stretch is accomplished by the stitching roller at the sumotime thut the iuhrie is pressed into vent-not with the core or the preiiously lui l plies. and the lllSlHil'ilWOllH :ulhesion of suit- (GRAVEiiiitil; due to lll(.- tnulciness oi the ruhhrr prevents nu'ronsizleruhle stretching in this direction. For this reason it lmSalways hoen new ry. in order to :ii'oitl illlllii 'l llllll'lf l' oi the'l'nhrlo near the lower eiileenl the roriu lo give the lzil'irir thelHiVQ-lllQfiill il0ll longzzliulii'ml sati'etrh inst x-ii'in'ii ii isim-i to the more, :elying upon loe Fllllhl filiiffi the. rulilzer whenthe tension 15 removed to nsseist in fixing it to the eore.

roller which travels such streteh usually the tubrie to contract lengthThe con'ibinution of longitiulinnl and lateral stretch has hez-n iouml.(lisai'lmutegeone in several resperte. ltiualmost IIHPOSSIhlU to secureii unii orm longitudinal stretch: this being: particularly true wherethe lnl'n'ir is leil tangentially to ihe (orefns the lirst six or eightinche are l'requentlv practically uulen ionefl. Furthin'mm'iuthetens'oning of lhe fuhrii: longitiulinnlly to any eon '(lmnhle ih'igg reenecessitates epheinl nierhanism or great care to-seeure fitlliS- tnetoryresults. The conihiuutiou of ten-- SlOlhQ has a furtherlisutlvui'ilza-igje in that the strum PGRlSliHQ' (lOliiQliiS (in notfollow the pull! of FllUi'iGsi; distance hetween their ends.

'At some point on the side of" the (ONE the lengthwise eonlruetion dueto the lateral stretch will iwutrulize the original longituiluiulr-zlretrh. At this point it has heen ioauul than the strain resistingelements, heeule pns 1" troin :1 positive to a negative single ofloiugitiuiinul lension, are frequently (liStOl"il((l out of their normal'imth (lue to the m'mihinuiion oi the ronditioii of no lon- 3fltlllll1lll tension with 'various other influenees surh us ihe lateralstretching force and the adhesion of the ruhher in zulinreni' plies.

In the usual. method ol stitching"w hr the use of rollers passing; in aspiral miinuor (lowu the Sii'lPS of the core, it is impossible-to Securesuliirieni: lnlernl tension to sehnpe the 'lnhrir lo the rore without 21prelimii'uiry longitudinal s treteh. The Fume is true of any otheri'neihorl oi sharing! of Whirl: l :ini awnre. This is iure'ely (lne tothe fact that the stitrhine' rolls press the l'nhrir against the core atthe Fume time that the; stretch it, the ailheeireiies'; oi the ruhher nnchmin the plies together hetero zinv sulist-nntizil lateral stretch runhe secured:

lily invention is intended in part to Ohi'iale the difficulties recited:iheve, although it 'shoulrl he clearly understood that its utility if;not limited to cases Where the int rie has not heen i iven an initialloi'igi'tudinzil stretch. My invention is further intenderl {04. 10 awaywith the crushing and distorting pressure. of the stitching means now inus eml to further prevent (listen lion h exerting" the lateralnlretching force eimultuneously throughout a: circumference of the coreand in n rzidinl direction. The

invention further contemplates the lateral stretching of the fabricbefore it is pressed into Contact with the core or into Contact witlitne plies previously laid thereon. It still further contemplatesthoroughly pres ing the fabrie against the core or the previously laidplies as soon as it comes into contact therewith, and holding it sopressed. While the portions of the fabric still out of contact with thecore are being laterally stretched. It still further contemplates thelaying on of the tire building material in the absence of abrasion bythe stitching; means. The involution however, is not re stricted to thesimultaneous fulfillment of all these purposes, out is directed totliezii singly or in combination. or in. eonilnnzition with otnei stepso'r purposes; all as more specifically set forth in the ftppdilifillclaims lirietiy stat d, the invention in the preferred en'iiiezi exitillustrated in the drewingseon i in pleeing a layerof tire build-- ingmates .512 which may be composed of one or more plies of feline, the(iflclllfliJlllibQ-l we I. 0?. tie treat 1 ni U' vii, i, .i t i l (01 lon ei i" he s (H Wail-.,, about the periphery of e eore, the

fe orie. if this is the material. lacing applied, bong pi'eieirelily,lnit not neeessei'ily. in e .1 istsntielly unsti'etched conditionleugitm dinelly. .Tlie core with the layer thereon is then positionedwithin suitable means such an annular sir from which the air has beenexlmusted li] which the outstanding skirts or side portions of thefabric ltyfil may be pressed against the sides of the core. Ajn

air beg is preferable 01? this purpose as it furnishes e'eoiwenientmeans by which a yielding or fluid. pressure can beexertedsimuiteneeusly tiiroughout a circumference of the core. iljiiismeans is thei contracted upon the core, forcing the fabric down upon theSI UiQ SQf the core and pressing firmly into contact therewith.Preferably the siiies O1 skirts oi the fabric layer are supported duringthis operation by Wells spaced from the core, upon which the air bag maypress the fabric to insure that the letter will be stretched between.the sup ports and the core.

The invention wilinow be clesoribei with particular reference to theapparatus shown in the ei'zeompenying drawings, in which-- Fig. is a.side elevation, partly in section, of 2%, device by which the methodinvolved in my invention may be eerriecl out;

Fig. Q is e, partial section thereof showing}; ii second. stage in theoperation;

3 is it View similar to Fig. 2 sl1owinp; the fabric partially stitcheddown upon the core; sncl Fig. 4 is similar View showing s. stiil furtherstage.

The apparatus,

5e cleteils shown, which may be VEtYi Z-Cl acts.

n this may be stiie invention, oom- ...i*eme it on which is or .n. ahandle 23, wii stationery suppez't at Q the core ee'erietl axiallyWithout Surrouncii; g.

oo): 25 provided? controlled by valves and 33 :vespeetively,

- be .:-oinieeted with ing to o. source of air qillileeding tosuitprodueing veeumn. $.di'iimfls of i303:

whereby the in either a pipe l: undoipircssore. or able for Mountee onserving to in ii. iii n on the skirts and or sides of the .e. '7?supports have 11; into sides a ielziti'i v e sides of tile 3!? enlists.tielly inial/i. to

COFS flHCi are cut away at l to give space for the beads. Between thesupports and the core a spate 41 in which the air bag in ag iplying" eji'eiitl. oi" otiiei." layer where lateral. stretehin not ii'npottsr it25 and (5136?? A respoeiivem supports 36 r1 may be found desirable toomit those ports.

By the of tlm. slime apparatus the method of building a ei-n'eess l'fofining e pert of in present invention. may lie Ciafilfiijl out asfollows. A fabric leyei' as, composed. of SQHQ'L'GJNOVGYI fabric, eort'ifabric, or other material, and formed in one more layers. is laid. aboutthe periphery of the leore, preferably, tho'ugl'i not necessarilyWithout substantial. circumferential tension. In Figs. 1 and 2 thef-ioirie has been shown under a sli'rliteire imierentiel tension, butincreased or decreased {ZS tiesire ri. The full advantage of my methodwill be oliteineti, however, in eases when: the eircumiei'entieitension. is reiiiieetl to eiproeetioii iwi rote.

drawing il iaugcnlially thereon, r may he formed ax a poi-lief. or(IlillOHH haml 21ml lhereai'lcr filled over the. crcsi oi' the core. Thecore is then rotaljeil h motor H3. causlugthe sides or skirts 71 of thefabric to FiilZHl oui. hy dcntrifugal i'orce substantially in the formof a ryliuilcr. "he core i.- lhcn -#hi'ileel axially h) means of hamlle2 null conuecierl (.l llll}Ilt3--. llie cylinklric-al 'l'o'rin impartedhy the rotation. causing the shirt; in lie smoorhly around the support236. ll ith the core Hiill ro'ialiug (lOUl it: is closed. the supper-lll? sliding within the skirt oi lhc i'ahric. 'llie core is now stoppedaiul air under pressure allniiltcil l'hrough ralre 3L. This expands theair hag :nul cauees it. lo slreleh the fabric ilown upon ihe sill as ofLhe core as shown sueeessively iu Fl; 2, ii. and i. Valve 1313 if; thencloserl aiul \a lre ghl opened, eonnc ting the bag to an crshanal'ing'uiechar u anal causing: it to rn-mllze a flat form lil rhai in l*-"ig. land i'he sm lirlur of operations may he repcalcil u hui-lil up the li -ireil number of pliesbf ilirie upon the (:o ilezul ll'lQlll -ll'S oi anyiiiahie form may he aililcll'as flesh-ell. The air hag will apply those.plies .l()(.2l.i((l out ville the heail l!) 'uilaer in lhe same way asilmse lllhllli. cul away pQl'l'lQilS ll) hcing: l'()\ '.'lk.(l in allowfor increased thickness :li These. points. A. similar procedure will hefollowed. in applying;- a. lreail. or a trczul aiul tlllfi walls.

'lhc acliou oi' the air line in. shaping ihe il lill'l to the Sllllh oflhe core (l(;-L!l"\"IH especial :il'icui'ion. ll will he appareul thatpressure will be exerted uimullaneously throughoul. a circuiuslaiu-e ofthe core and in a general railial ilircciiou. 3y stating llml PllSHlllli9 (X0i'll'ii s imultaneously ihrourfhoul :i circuuilcr ure oi' the coreI refer to the loci l'hai', the application of the loge in thal. the.lahric is stressed lluring he building; operatimi .m the same(hi-elation in which it will he stressed whcul'he tire is inllalerl.llolh of these points find their chief importance in the improvement inthe quality ol the product. I

Another important function oi the air bag is to give fo the fabric alateral stretch. before ii appiiml to the, core by restraining orholding the sides of the fabric and sinuiliiuieously foreiugg; the.'l'abrie bclwecu the restrained pori-iou-auil the core iiiwarrlly andinto contact wilh lhc sides of, the core. This is ar'complisheil by theair bag prefix ing ihe skirt (1 againstporlions Ill; ul ill) of thesupporl, the friction of the iahrie on the euppori' serving to rcs'traiuor hohl ii: with .considerable force. This fricliori can be rcgulaleilby varying-the maierial of which the-supports 36 and More. uuule, or layplacing suitable anti-Friction rollers or balls on the supports. Iprefer, however, to form the supports of maple .wooil, as i'his gives avoryuniform friction with ruhil 0!lZ0(l fabric. This restraining of thelill'lS of the fabric layer serves to compel a Cmmhl erable lal'eralstretch before the fabric comes into conflict with the coreor thepreviously applied plies of fabric due to the pressure of the air bag atthe point e. flll'lH I avoiil the dillieult y of securing an aalequatelateral SlZZ'BlZCll which is inherent in the usual methoil, in which allthe stretching that occurs l1; practically simultaneouswith the contactof the fabric layers with the core, In the olil method Hie adherence ofthe fabric. to the core or the previously laiil li'abrie prevent-s anyreal stretching being alone Without a resuli'anlv distortion of Lhefabric. By the use of the apparatus iliwcribeil ih'e stretching of thefabric is accoiuplislieil llO- lore ii comes in conlacl' with lhe eore,and. consequently any llQSll'Cll stretch. may be obtained by varying thefrictional resistance as ileseriherl and by changing um air prew sure orthe rapiility with which lhe air pressure is applied.

The n'iaicrial is amilieil simultaneously throughout a. circumference ofthe core in a manner that may be described as a radial rolling orvertical action well recognized that in ai'lhesively curing one sheet ofmaterial to anolheixl'he heal coal-eel: had if the first sheet islllOlllliOfl 011 a curved surface and is rolled from that surface ontothat to which it is to be .aclhesivelyeonneei'ei'l. The air bag carriesthe layer of malc-rial against the core in exactly the same manner,insuring close contact throughout the entire surface. of the core. withthe ma ierizlll in a properly strei' cheil condition. The motion of thetire buildinginai'erial as it foreeil against the. core by l'he air bagis almost the same. as the mol'iou of a vortex. ring. In each ease thereis a moiiou rarlially inwardly eomliiineii wiih a decrease incircumference; the lal'ler lwing'ailaiuccl in the vortex ring by :1.circumfereiuia.l constretching-the uneppiie ric. This ntotoniy preyentsdisplacement of. the fabric after it is in position but avoids time toflaw and become set, and the ens stitching roll.

The use ofthe sir accompiishes the further purpose of cozn actingthelayers of fabric or other, materis together-otter they have been laidupon thecoresnti holding them compacted" throw h the operation of gportion of the fabto' a. large extent the trouble sometimes experiencedof the fabric plies separating during vulcanization due to the formationof air bubbles at convolutions ox the spiral path followed by the usualroller. The pressure exerted act's progressively down the side of thecore on every point thereof instead of acting only st'points o'n-thesuccessive convointions of a s iral, is yielding and aiieptsble to thesur ace. of the core, and wiii thoroughly com act the fabric layers"without danger of crushing In the usual method the only compacting thatoccurs is done with the relatively sharp and nnyieiciing cogs oi? the Afurther advantage of a similar natureis that the pressure exerteri bythe sir-hag issts through at consicierebie period of time giving therubber time to adapt itself to its new position one to scihere firmiy'tothe previous layers. it is Well known that uncured. ruoher takes sometomsrym ethod of stitching with e roiier does not furnish pressure tor ssufficient time to thoronghiy "unite the layers. This defect is remediedby the present methoqi.

While the invention has especial utility inoppiying the fabric ioyers tothe core in the building of a, tire carcass, it also finds use inapplying trends, or tremis combined with side 'Weiis, or combined Withboth side walls and breaker, or in applying any desired combination ofelements. In the foliowin claims the term tire building, ma teral hasbeen used to include the various eiements which may be useci inconnection with the methori end aopsmtus. Also, and for want of a betterterm, the womi core has been used as rienoting the surface to which thetirebuihiing material is applied, although. it will he understood thatthe actual surface may be that of previously epplied layers of material.

It will he understood that modifications in the apparatus and method maybe made Without ieparting from the invention as set forth in the.appended claims.

What I claim as new enci desire to secure by Letters :Pstent is:

1. A method of building tire casings com prising placing about theperiphery of a core a iejzer of tire building material, so as to form aband having its side portions of greater circumference than the headportions. oi the tire, and. she-ping the side pertions of the materialiown the sides of the oints between the successive sewers comprisingpiecing s. ieyer of tirehoiifiing materiel shoot the periphery of acore, end forcing the historic into contact with the sifies of the coreby fiiiiri. pressure acting simultaneously throughout s, circiimferenceof the core While restraining the cities of the materiel. i

t. The method of hiiiiiing no comprising pieciog e isyer oi msterieishout the peril he?? o fluid pressure acting sim'mtsneoiisi out scircumference of the core pressivsiy' down the sides there streining'theskies, of the mete 5. The method of hniitiin comprising piecing a ehricshout the periphery of s core fabric heing substa-ntieiiy nnstretched .ncircumferentisi' (Erection; anyl stretching sciui fchric ieyer isteraiiydown upon the sides of the core, the stretching force being exerted sdirection radical of the core anti simuitm neoosiy ti'ironghout ecircumference of the core.

o. A device of the cisss descriheai coniprising an annular core adaptedto support re cssings "building core by throngh i Whiie reisr sir begsurrounding the sore; and sueports spaced from the core for the sides isa layer of such ;:,=;eterisi mounted on the core.

7. A device oi the ciass descrihe com-- prising an annular core adoptedto simport a layer of tire building material, on c.- imisr air hagsurrounding the core, and supports spaced from the core for the sic'iesoi e layer of such material mounted on the core. seici supportspresenting a reintiveiy fist top and conforming generally to the shoneoi? the core. 4

8. A. flevice of the cisss (iescrihec'i comprising an annular coreooiopteci to support a layer of tire buiioing material, on Sol H111 ierair bag surrounding the core, anti sup ports "from the core for theskies of e ieyer of such materiel monnteci on the core. sniti core not}we supports being reis'tireiv movable.

A cievice of thew class doscribe! come prising on ennuisr core'ociaptedto support e. layer of tire huiiciing msteriei, on simular air hagsurrounding' the core, supports spaced from the core for the sides 01. alayer of such material "mounted on the core, said core and said supportsbeing relatively movable in an axial direction, and means for rotatingthe core. I

10; A; device of the class described comprising a core adapted tosupport a layer of tire building material, means for axiallyreciprocating the core, means for rotating the core, an annular memberextensible by fluid pressure and within which the core is adapted to bemoved by its axial reciprocation, 21 support for one side of a layeroftire building material into ad'acency with which the core is adaptedto e moved by such reciprocation, and a second similar support adaptedto be moved into adjacency with the core.

11. A device for conforming tire-building material to a core comprisingan inflatable annular bag, a housing enclosing the bag forming with thecore a chamber for Controlling: the expansion of the bag and causing thelatter to press the tire-building material against the core, and meansfor exerting a dragging action on the material.

THOMAS MIDGLEY.

